Our Penalty Kill is disgusting

[GTislanders]

It needs to be discussed because it's the lone area I think we are just totally weak in.

2 PP goals given up last night.

1) WHy is Reinhart on the PK? Makes zero sense. This is a kid with now just one game under his belt, you can't find a better option? I thought he did a poor job on the PK but was a beast at ES.

2) Why is it that we don't understand gap control on the PK? We let forwards of the other team dance around our players to free up space at the points. ALmost every PK results in 1 or 2 solid chances from the point. This HAS TO STOP.

3) This "slide" to take away space down low burns us every time. Pay attention, you'll see players sliding down low to take away the lane for the lateral pass across the crease, but all this does is remove one player from the PK equation. Please tell me this isn't coaching? Does Capuano really tell the players to slide to take away space? SMH.

The PK will be a problem, folks.

Click to read more...

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Our 2nd most valuable asset next to Frans is injured. Breakways or not, Grabner is still very valuable and a vital component to our PK. I think we will improve, seems like the lines are getting played with quite a bit and by the end of the month, we'll see more guys in distinct roles.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Two top 4 defensemen are out.
Capuano.
Team is still coming together.

In that order.

 

[BroadwayJay*]

Two top 4 defensemen are out.
Capuano.
Team is still coming together.

In that order.

Grabner too.

 

[JetsMetsIsles]

Lets not forget that its a small sample size. I think it needs improvement and when some of our guys come back it will get better. If its costing us games early thats a problem but Ill try not to worry about it until closer to December.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

wasn't reinhart only out there when hamonic was in the box?

 

[19NYSports91]

Two top 4 defensemen are out.
Capuano.
Team is still coming together.

In that order.

And it's been one game.

 

[Seph]

wasn't reinhart only out there when hamonic was in the box?

Close, he was only out there when Hamonic, Boychuk or Strait were in the box. Along with Hickey, those appear to be our primary PKers on defense, and Reinhart wae chosen over Leddy when one of them was in the box.

 

[Macch]

And it's been one game.

No we have to find something to freak out about.

 

[islesfan3913]

I'm not too concerned right now. Grabner and de Haan are both out which will weaken the PK and defense. I'll worry when those guys come back and the PK still isn't doing well.

 

[YoureMyBoyLou]

Two top 4 defensemen are out.
Capuano.
Team is still coming together.

In that order.

I agree with these things, but Howie did say last night that coaching wants them to have a tighter box and that they are willing to give up outside shots. I think this is a terrible strategy. When you give professional hockey players room to think and operate, they will make you pay the price for it. You don't want to give the opposing team's point men room to breathe.

 

[The Underboss]

It's one game. Let's re-evaluate in 10 games.

 

[BTrotts19]

very true being only one game but Carolina is missing two pieces of their powerplay and still gave up two goals--not exactly Anaheim or Pittsburgh.

Hopefully they tighten this thing up because once we start playing playoff teams, this could get ugly fast.

 

[InformTheMasses]

Viz being out has little to do with the kill.

But de haan and grabbed are MAJOR hits to the pk..

If Reinhart is in the lineup, he absolutely belongs on pk. Its where he's best. I don't care about his experience or lack thereof.

One major issue.... kulemin is an elite NHL pk forward...... he had 1 minute on pk last night.... not smart, reminds me of how clutterbuck was handled in the first half of last season. That's on cappy

 

[frankieboy]

Close, he was only out there when Hamonic, Boychuk or Strait were in the box. Along with Hickey, those appear to be our primary PKers on defense, and Reinhart wae chosen over Leddy when one of them was in the box.

I was gonna say that I thought I saw Reinhart out there on more than one PK.

 

[PK Cronin]

It needs to be discussed because it's the lone area I think we are just totally weak in.

2 PP goals given up last night.

1) WHy is Reinhart on the PK? Makes zero sense. This is a kid with now just one game under his belt, you can't find a better option? I thought he did a poor job on the PK but was a beast at ES.

2) Why is it that we don't understand gap control on the PK? We let forwards of the other team dance around our players to free up space at the points. ALmost every PK results in 1 or 2 solid chances from the point. This HAS TO STOP.

3) This "slide" to take away space down low burns us every time. Pay attention, you'll see players sliding down low to take away the lane for the lateral pass across the crease, but all this does is remove one player from the PK equation. Please tell me this isn't coaching? Does Capuano really tell the players to slide to take away space? SMH.

The PK will be a problem, folks.

Reinhart was better than Strait on the PK, that's for sure. I didn't mind him on it at all. Thought he looked fine.

Any PP that operates from the point on down will attract attention down low and move it back to the top. If you neglect the play moving down low, you're creating an odd man situation from a closer space, which is more dangerous. The forwards need to get enough pressure on the trigger man up high when the puck is moved to them, but it's just not really possible to completely stop shots. They are going to come from somewhere, the team just needs to be selective on which one they are going to allow through. Our PP did the same thing, and it was effective because the opposition needs to respect Tavares and Okposo on the lower portion, which frees up Boychuck at the point. Unless I completely misunderstood what you're talking about, then

Players shouldn't slide almost ever, because it takes you out of position completely. Not only are you not blocking a lot of space by sliding, you're allowing for the puck handler to possible side step you and have a ton of real estate in front of them. So you're right on point with that.

Lets not forget that its a small sample size. I think it needs improvement and when some of our guys come back it will get better. If its costing us games early thats a problem but Ill try not to worry about it until closer to December.

Our PK was poor last season, poor this pre-season, and was poor in game one, I really don't think it's too early to expect some changes. It could improve, but a lot of it is the strategy and personnel used, which can be adjusted pretty easily.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Viz being out has little to do with the kill.

But de haan and grabbed are MAJOR hits to the pk..

If Reinhart is in the lineup, he absolutely belongs on pk. Its where he's best. I don't care about his experience or lack thereof.

One major issue.... kulemin is an elite NHL pk forward...... he had 1 minute on pk last night.... not smart, reminds me of how clutterbuck was handled in the first half of last season. That's on cappy

+1 on bolded, and you could argue that the net effect of having Vis out increases the time someone lessor gets total ice time impacting PK if they are worn. I would rather Vis on the ice during the PK than Strait for example. But hell yes on the other two.

Haha on Kulemin. Shame on me for not adding it to my Capuano pile on.

 

[CLUTTERSTACHE*]

awful

 

[Macch]

Strait sucks. I can't wait till he's off.

 

[InformTheMasses]

Also three of the six penalties have been taken by hamonic and boychuk. Two of the better pk dmen on an already weakened unit. Those two need to stay out of the box.

 

[nyisles]

PK is now 43%

 

[seafoam]

Yeah I liked when we were aggressive on the PK.

 

[InformTheMasses]

Looks like Cronin was just as good a hire as we all thought.

 

[Cavonnier]

It's one game. Let's re-evaluate in 10 games.

Well, after four periods, it's still terrible.

Also, everyone (especially Hamonic and Boychuk), try to stay out of the box!

 

[stranger34]

still a problem.